Roll holding facilities of equipment for storing and handling rolls of carpeting



June 1958 I c. c. RIEMENSCHNEIDER 2,838,249

' ROLL HOLDING FACILITIES 0F EQUIPMENT .FOR

STORING AND HANDLING ROLLS OF CARPETING Filed Dec. 14, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 o ,lji

IN V EN TOR.

June 1958 c. c. RIEMENSCHNEIDER 4 2,838,249

ROLL HOLDING FACILITIES OF EQUIPMENT FOR STORING AND HANDLING ROLLS OF ,CARPETING Filed Dec. 14, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

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United States P n ROLL HOLDING FACILITIES OF EQUIPMENT FOR STOG AND HANDLING ROLLS OF CARPETING Claud i3. Riemenschneider, Western Springs, Ill.

Application December 14, 1954, Serial No. 475,186

7 Claims. (Cl. 242-553) This invention relates to equipment for storing and handling rolls of carpeting and the like wherein the rolls are supported on spindles inserted through tubes on which the rolls are originally wound, and has reference more particularly to roll holding facilities which are adapted to be used in connection with such insertable spindles and are cooperable with spaced apart bearings in which the spindles are removably mounted.

Carpeting and similar materials are usually supplied from the mills in large rolls from which portions of the carpeting is unrolled from time to time for display to purchasers and to out such lengths therefrom aspun chasers may require, and it is customary to support these rolls portably in storage space so that they may be moved readily therefrom to the display and cutting area whenever required.

These rolls vary in length and the diameter thereof decreases as lengths of carpeting are cut therefrom and to economize storage space it is important that the roll supports be adjustable according to the length of the rolls and also vertically according to the diameter of the rolls so that as large a number of rolls as possible may be stored in a, given space.

This is accomplished in accordance with my Patent No. 2,601,560 by providing overhead beams at the storage space which lead to the display and cutting area and serve as tracks from which hangers are suspended and paired together to support the rolls in the storage space, and these hangers have brackets or bearings thereon in which roll supporting spindles are rotatably mounted and the brackets or bearings are adjustable vertically along the hangers so that the spindles may be spaced apart according to the diameter of the rolls thereon and the hangers are individually suspended from and adjustable along the track so that the hangers of each pair may be adjusted relatively to one another to accommodate rolls of any selected length therebetween. 1

Floor supported posts on wheeled trucks operable along floor tracks or on the floor itself, are employable instead of the overhead suspended hangers for storage of the rolls in like manner and movement thereof'from the storage space to the display and cutting area.

In such carpet storage and handling equipment the spindles extend centrally through the rolls which are rotated to unwind the carpeting therefrom and to wind the carpeting thereon by turning the spindles which have facilities at the ends thereof for application of hand or power operated means thereto for the purpose, and accordingly it is important that the roll of carpeting be locked on the spindle to turn therewith.

Carpeting is wound at the mills on a tube, usually of cardboard or the like, and supplied to the trade as thus wound, and as the spindles heretofore provided for storing and handling these rolls of carpeting were not adapted to lock the thus supplied rolls' on the spindles to rotate With certainty therewith, it has been customary in storing and handling the thus supplied rolls, toclamp one end of carpeting of the suppliedroll to thespindle, as for 2,838,249 Patented June 10, 1958 2 a example by clamps such as shown in my aforesaid Pat ent 2,601,560, and wind the newly furnished roll of carpeting onto the spindle for storage and handling in the manner explained above.

It is desirable, however, to avoid the time and expense necessarily occasioned by the winding of newly supplied rolls of carpeting on the supporting spindles, and it is an important object of the present invention, to provide facilities which are particularly adaptable to and cooperable with the above explained storage and handling equipment for supporting and locking the rolls as suppliedfrom the mills on the spindles of such equipment. It is a further object of the invention to provide such facilities which are simple and convenient and readily applicable to spindles of existing equipment such as describedv above and at least in part removable to permit the spindle to be inserted endwise through the central opening of the supplied roll, and which are readily applicable to spindles of different lengths, these and other objects beingaccomplished as pointed out more particularly hereinafter and as shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view showing portions of carpe roll storage and handling facilities similar to those of my aforesaid Patent 2,601,560 and having a roll of car peting, with intermediate portions broken away, supported thereon in accordance With the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the carpet roll of Fig. 1 with a portion of the supporting hanger at that end of the roll shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a side view of a modification of the roll locking facilities shown in Fig. l; d

Fig. 4 is a view, somewhat similar to thatof Fig. 1, showing another form of roll locking members which may be employed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 5 is an outer end view ofone of the locking members of Fig. 4; and i Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the locking members of Fig. 5 taken on the line 6-6 thereof.

In the drawing, the reference numeral 10 indicates a roll of carpeting or the like which, as explained above, is usually supplied with a tube 11 therein, for example a stiff heavy cardboard tube, on which the carpeting is wound at the mill and extends centrally through the roll 10 from end to end thereof.

For supporting this roll of carpeting, storage and handling facilities similar to those of my aforesaid Patent 2,601,560 are shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for illustrative purposes, and comprise an overhead beam 12 which is adequately supported in any desired manner and is of any desired length and serves as a rail on which uprights 13 of hanger type are individually mounted for movement therealong, said uprights being suspended from the rail 12 by wheels 14 which are located at the upper ends of the hangers and roll along the rail.

The uprights 13 are .used in pairs to support the rolls of carpeting andthe hangers of each pair are spaced apart a selected distance appropriate to accommodate there between carpet rolls of the particular length to be mounted thereon, and each hanger 13 has bearing members'1 5 thereon at an elevation corresponding to that of the com panion hanger on the other hanger 13 of the pair to receive the opposite ends respectively of spindles 16 on which the rolls of carpeting are mounted.

Preferably the bearing members 15 are open at the top, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the carpet supporting spindle may be mounted thereinand removed therefrom by merely lowering the spindle ends into the open tops of the bearing members and lifting the spindle ends therefrom, and these bearing members 15 are preferably adjustable along the hangers to selected elevations. To this end, the hangers 13, like the hangers in my aforea 3 said Patent 2,601,560, are channel irons which have the central web 17 thereof (see Fig. 2) provided with vertically spaced slots 18 and the bearing members 15 are in the form of brackets which have lugs 19 which engage the slots 18 to detachably mount the bearing members on the hangers.

The spindles 16, which are usually tubular, are of a diameter somewhat smaller than the internal diameter at the tube 11 of the r0118 so that the spindle 16 is freely insertable through the tube 11 with which the carpet rolls are usually furnished as aforesaid, and the spindle is of suitable length so that it will project a suflicient distance beyond the ends of the roll for mounting in the bearing members of the hangers 13.

The hangers 13 are individually adjustable along the rail 12 and the two hangers constituting the pair are adjusted with respect to one another to a spaced apart relation suitable to accommodate the particular length of the rolls to be supported thereon and the length of the spindles 16 depends upon the distance that the hangers 13 are spaced apart and is preferably such that the ends thereof engage in the two spaced apart bearing members 15 and project slightly therebeyond substantially as indicated in Fig. 1.

Preferably the spindles 16 do not seat directly in the bearing members but each spindle has a fitting secured thereon at each end in the form of a flanged sleeve or spool, the sleeve portion of which is received in the hearing member to rotate therein, conjointly with the spindle 16, and the flanges of which are located at opposite sides respectively of the bearing memberlS to prevent axial movement of the spindle in the bearing members and also to maintain two supporting uprights spaced apart the particular distance required for the length of the rolls supported thereby.

Referring now to the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one of these fittings is indicated at 20 and has the intermediate or sleeve portion thereof, which is indicated by dotted lines at 21, seated in the bearing member 15 and the flanges 22 and 23 at the outer and inner sides respectively of the bearing 15. This particular flanged sleeve or spool has a hub 24 at the outer end provided with a set screw 25 by which it is secured to the spindle 16 and by reason of this set screw attachment thereof to the spindle 16 it is adjustable along the spindle and also completely removable therefrom.

The fitting 26 at the other end of the spindle 16 of Fig. 1 has a flanged sleeve or spool portion 27 which is similar to the flanged sleeve or spool 20 but has a tubular extension 28 at the inner end thereof which encircles the the spindle 16 and is conically tapered at the inner end as at 29 to a sharp or relatively sharp annular edge to provide a conical wedge, the outer conical face of which is preferably scored lengthwise to provide a gripping surface to engage in the end of a carpet roll tube 11 as hereafter explained, in a manner to insure turning movement of the roll with the member 26 and spindle 16.

This fitting 26 may be provided with a hub and set screw, as in the case of the flanged sleeve or spool 20 by which it is secured on the spindle, but preferably the member is permanently secured on the end portion of the spindle 16 by spot welding or in other convenient manner, in which event such hub and set screw is unnecessary and may be omitted.

Another wedge member 30 is also provided on the spindle 16 which is similar to the extension portion 28 of the fitting 26 and is formed at its inner end with a conical wedge formation 31 like the conical wedge 29 and with the outer conical face likewise scored lengthwise.

This member 30 is freely slidable along the spindle 16 and removable therefrom and is provided with a set screw 32 by which it may be secured on the spindle 16 in any position of adjustment therealong.

These conical wedge portions 29 and 31 are adapted to engage in the opposite ends respectively of the tube 11 of a roll of carpeting to center and lock the newly supplied roll 10 on the spindle 16 for turning movement therewith, and for this purpose the conical wedge portions 29 and 31 are of such size or diameter at their smaller inner ends to pass readily into the end of tubes 11 with which carpet rolls are supplied from the mills and are of a size or diameter at their outer or larger ends substantially larger than the internal diameter of said tubes 11, and the taper of said portions 29 and 31 is sufficiently gradual so that said members 29 and 31 will wedge tightly in the ends of a carpet roll tube 11 and provide a reliable interloclctherewith whereby the roll 10 will rotate positively with the cone and the spindle 16, and the spindle will be centered and maintained in a central position in the tube so that the roll is equally or substantially equally balanced therearound and thus turn readily with the spindle 16.

To mount a roll 10, and each new roll 10 on the spindle, the latter is removed from the bearing members 15 and the flanged sleeve or spool 20 is removed from the spindle and likewise the member 30 so that the spindle may be freely inserted through the opening of the tubular cone 11 of the roll 10.

Then the thus cleared end of the spindle 16 is inserted into and through the center tube 11 of the roll 10 with the wedge portion 29 at one end of the roll, and the wedge member 30 is replaced loosely on the spindle at the other end of the roll with the cone end 31 thereof towardthe roll. Then the spindle 16 with the extension 28 thereon is moved relatively to the roll 10 so as to jam the cone 29 tightly into the end of the tube 11 of the roll 10 and the member 30 is slid along the spindle 16 in a manner to jam the conical end 31 into the other end of the tube 11, whereupon the set screw 32 is tightened against the spindle 16 to hold the member 30 in the position in which the conical end 31 thereof is thus jammed into the end of the tube 11 and at the same time hold the other conical end 29 in the position in which it was jammed into the other end of the tube 11.

Then the flanged sleeve or spool 20 having been replaced on the end of the spindle 16, the roll 10 with the spindle thereon is hoisted to the required elevation for mounting in the selected bearing members 15 of the pair of hangers 13 and is lowered into position with the flanged sleeve or spool 20 engaged in one bearing member 15 and the flanged sleeve or spool portion 27 of the member 26 engaged in the other bearing member 15.

Preferably the spool 20 remains loose on the spindle in this roll mounting operation, and especially as the two hangers 13 are located in a fixed spaced apart relation by other spindles 16 already mounted thereon, as the spool 20 may thus be positioned on the spindle at the proper place therealong to freely engage and rotate in the bearing member 15 after which the set screw 25 is tightened to lock the spool on the spindle at this proper place.

Thus each new roll 10 is mounted on its supporting spindle 16 so that the latter is centered in the roll and the latter locked on the spindle to rotate positively therewih and the roll 11) may be rotated to unwind portions of the carpeting therefrom and to rewind such portions thereon by merely turning the spindle 16. As shown and explained in my aforesaid Patent 2, 601,560, it is customary to provide facilities at one or both ends of the'spindles 16 for detachable connection of a crank or other spindle rotating means thereto by which the spindle is turned in the bearing members 15 to wind and unwind the carpeting, and it is important that these facilities-be such that they do not interfere with the removal of the spool 20 and wedge member 30 from the spindle 16.

Accordingly it is preferred to provide the spindle ends with lugs 33 therein for this purpose, as shown in Fig. 2,

which leave the exterior of the spindle end free and unobstructed.

Instead of employing at the one end of the spindle 16 a' wedge member 30 which is separate from the spool 20, a composite spool and wedge member such as shown in Fig. 3 may be employed which is slidable on the spindle 16 and provided with a set screw 34 by which it may be fixed to the spindle 16 in any position of adjustment therealong.

Except for the set screw 34, this composite member of Fig. 3 is the same as the fixed member 26 and has a flanged sleeve or spool portion 35 at the outer end provided with an extension 36 at the inner side like the extension 28 of the member 27 and terminating at the inner end in a conical wedge 37 like the wedge end 29 of the member 26.

The separate parts 24 and 30 are preferred as there may be considerable variation in the distance between the wedge portions 29 and 37 of Fig. 3 by reason of which the flanged sleeve or spool portion 35 is not positioned at a proper distance from the flanged sleeve or spool portion 27 at the other end of the spindle to properly engage in bearing members 15 which are spaced a fixed distance apart, as for example by other spindles on the hangers 13, although the flanged sleeves or spools may be made of sufficient extra length to compensate for such variation distance between the wedge portions 29 and 37.

In cases of existing equipment in which spindles are already provided with flanged sleeves or spools or in which the roll centering and locking facilities of Figs. 1 and 2 are not readily applicable thereto, centering and locking wedges such as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 may be employed.

In the construction of Fig. 4, spindles 38 are provided which are supported at their ends in bearing members 39, like the bearing members 15, which are mounted on hangers or posts 40 in the same manner that the bearing mem bers 15 are supported on the hangers 13, and the spindle 38 has a flanged sleeve or spool 41, like the flanged sleeve or spool 20, detachably and adjustably secured thereon at one end by the set screw 42 and engaged in one bearing member 39 and a similar flanged sleeve or spool 43 fixed on the other end and engaged in the other hearing member 39.

Conical wedges 44 of solid relatively hard rubber are employed for centering and locking the roll 10 on the spindle 38 having a central opening 45 of approximately the size of the spindle and these wedges 44 are split longitudinally, as indicated at 41, so that they are contractable circumferentially to fit snugly on the spindle 38.

The exterior faces of these wedges have gradual conical taper similar to that of the previously described wedge portions 29 and 31 so as to wedge tightly in the ends of the center tube 11 of the roll 10 and the outer conical faces and also the interior faces of these wedges 44 are provided with small longitudinal ribs 46 by reason of which they grip the spindle 38 and within the ends of the tube 11 in a manner to prevent relative turning movement of the spindle 38 and roll 10 and insure positive rotation of the roll 19 with the spindle 38.

The spindle 38 is applied to the roll 10 in a manner similar to the spindle 16 of Fig. l, by first removing the flanged sleeve or spool 41 and wedge 44 at that end of the spindle and leaving the other wedge 44 at the other end of the spindle 38 near the fixed flanged sleeve or spool 43.

The spindle 38 is then inserted through the opening of the tube 11 or" the roll 10, the removed wedge 44 and spool 41 slipped on the spindle and the wedges 44 forced into the opposite ends of the tube 11 tightly so that the spindle 38 is centered in the tube 11 and the roll 10 locked on the spindle 38 whereupon the roll 10 with spindle 38 therein is lifted up and to an elevation in ["6 which the spools 41 and 43 are engaged in the bearings 39.

The spindle 38 has lugs, similar to the lugs 33 of'the spindle 16, in the ends thereof for connection of a crank or'other facilities for rotating the spindle 38 in the hearing members and thus turn the roll 10 to wind and unwind lengths of the carpeting thereof. I

It is important that the rubber of the wedges be relatively hard, a rubber of 60 durometer hardness being satisfactory, and the split form of the wedges is important as it not only permits the wedges to be slid readily along the spindle 38 but permits contraction thereof to grip the spindle 33 tightly, and the small ribs 46 are important as they provide a non-turnable gripping engagement of the wedges with the spindle in the ends of the carpet roll tube 11.

While I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, I am aware that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the principles of the invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rack of the class described for storing and transporting rolls of material which have a central opening therein extending axially from end to end thereof, the

said rack comprising two laterally spaced uprights each of which is independently wheel supported for independent portability and relative movability toward and away from the other and has spindle supporting means thereon,

and a roll supporting spindle which is insertable endwise in the central opening of an aforesaid roll of material to support the roll thereon and extends between the uprights and is removably supported rotatably in the said spindle supporting means of the uprights, the said spindle having fittings thereon which are spaced apart and cooperable respectively with the spindle supporting means of the two uprights to interconnect the uprights in spaced apart relationship precluding the aforesaid independent portability and relative movability thereof and establishing conjoint portability of the uprights from place to place, at least one of said fittings being slidable telescopically on the spindle to various positions thereon and detachably securable thereto in such various positions and completely removable from the spindle, and the said spindle being provided between said fittings with means receivable in the central opening of a roll thereon and operable independently of the said spaced apart position of the fittings to lock the-roll on the spindle for rotation therewith.

2. A rack according to claim 1 and wherein the spindle supporting means on the uprights are open top bearings and the fittings are receivable in and removable from the bearings through the open top thereof.

3. A rack according to claim 1 and wherein the spindle supporting means on the uprights are open top bearings 4. A rack according to claim 1 and wherein the spindlesupporting means on the uprights are open top bearings and the fittings are sleeves which are receivable in and removable from the bearings through the open top thereof and each sleeve is provided with a pair of laterally spaced annular flanges between which a respective one of the open top bearings is interposed.

5. A rack according to claim 1 and wherein the means operable to lock the roll on the spindle comprises two members which are relatively movable in the direction of the length of the spindle and cooperatively engage respectively in the ends of the central opening of the roll to lock the latter on the spindle and at least one of which said members is slidable telescopically on the spindle to various positions thereon and detachably 7 securable thereto in such various positions and completely removable from the spindle.

6. A rack according to claim 1 and wherein the means operable to lock the roll on the spindle comprises two conically tapered members which are slidable telescopically on the spindle and cooperatively engage respectively in the opposite ends of the central opening of the roll to lock the latter on the spindle and one of which said members is a part of one of the fittings and the other of which said sleeves and the other of the fittings are separate and independent parts each of which is individually adjustable along the spindle and independently removable therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,515,382 Cheesman Nov. 11, 1924 2,415,809 Coffey Feb. 18, 1947 2,601,560 Riernenschneider June 24, 1952 

